Another Big Step for Hannah - Updated

Last Sunday Hannah took another big step – she stayed in the nursery for the very first time. 

Now that we’ve been home almost a year I am finally ready to leave Hannah in the nursery.  For attachment purposes I didn’t want to leave her for the first number of months and probably would have started this transition earlier in the summer but our schedule was so uncertain during the summer that I decided to wait until we were going to be at church for a few weeks in a row so that Hannah could get comfortable with the new routine.

The first week I went in with her and stayed while she played but truly she was great and played happily, just looking over every once in a while to see if I was still there.

 

Hannah with her new Sunday School teacher.

Last week I stayed for about 5 mins, said good-bye and then left the nursery.  Hannah did great!!  Mommy cried.  :o)  I tried not to but I looked into the choir and my friends Carol and Karyne were there winking and smiling at me realizing what was happening and that was it….more tears.  This surprised me as I’m so used to leaving Hannah for daycare that I didn’t even consider for a moment that I’d cry when I left her in the nursery.

One of the wonderful things our church has is a number system that flashes in the sanctuary if your child needs you.  Here’s mommy with Hannah’s first number and yes, that’s the soggy tissue tucked in my hand from all the tears I’d shed in the service.

I’d asked them to call me if she cried for any longer than 2 mins.  I’m sure I checked the boards no less than 50 times in the hour I was in the service but my baby girl was happy to be there and did great!

Hannah was excited to see Nana and I when we arrived to pick her up but it was great to hear that she’d had a lot of fun too and didn’t miss me.  As much as I miss her when we’re not together I’m so glad for her sake that she’s comfortable away from me knowing that Mommy always comes back.  Here we’re celebrating being together again.

Way to go Hannah!!!

**Update**

This morning Hannah happily went into the nursery again but part way through the service she needed some mommy time and I looked up to see my number on the board.  I hurried to the nursery and could hear my sweetie from the moment I stepped into the nursery wing.  I went to her door and she was quite upset and reached up for me the moment she saw me.  I scooped up my little lamb and after a few more minutes of tears she began to settle.  She didn’t want to be put down for the longest time but eventually would get down long enough to get a book and bring it back to me so that we could read it together.  By then end she was playing again but I stayed for the entire service to give her the confidence that it was ok to be there.  We’ll try again next week and hopefully all goes well.  Each week we’ll work on this together until Hannah is completely comfortable there.  Step by step….